Planning Commission to Consider New Thorndike-Madrillo Landmark District

The City of Pasadena’s Planning Commission will meet Wednesday, February 22, and conduct a public hearing about the Thorndike-Madrillo Landmark District proposal, which will mean a zone change for 37 properties on Thorndike Road and Madrillo Court.

The City’s Historic Preservation Commission has earlier unanimously voted to approve the landmark designation, and is recommending final approval by the City Council. As required under the Pasadena Municipal Code, a similar recommendation should come from the Planning Commission.

A landmark district designation will protect the historic and architectural character of a neighborhood by requiring submittal of an application for Certificate of Appropriateness for any planned exterior changes that are visible from the street. Demolitions, relocations and new construction are also reviewed in landmark districts. Reviews of alterations and demolitions of non-contributing structures are required, as well as contributing structures.

The proposed Thorndike-Madrillo Landmark District is considered significant because it has a collection of residential buildings that represent mid-20th century architectural styles and development patterns that have been mentioned as significant in the City’s 2007 study called “Cultural Resources of the Recent Past.”

The first building in this district was constructed in 1927 and the other houses within the boundary were built between 1950 and 1962, making this the appropriate period of significance for the district.

A public hearing is conducted to allow for inputs by community members that could help the Planning Commission formulate a more viable recommendation for the City Council.

After the public hearing, the Planning Commission will receive a report by the City’s Planning and Community Development about outreach effort the department has done in connection with a proposal to revise the Zoning Code development standards governing single-family residences, particularly in Hillside Overlay zones as part of the City’s efforts to respond to mansionization.

Planning Director David Reyes said staff has conducted a number of community meetings since the effort began in 2015 and has solicited feedback from residents about the three Hillside Overlay neighborhoods. Most of the concerns from residents were about the overall size of structures, overdevelopment of Hillside properties, view protection and neighborhood compatibility.

No formal recommendation is being made for action, and after the briefing, the subject may be calendared for later discussion by the Commission.

The Planning Commission meets at 6 p.m. at the City Yards, located at 233 West Mountain Road in Pasadena.